Abstract GS4-05: Phase II randomized trial of conventional versus hypofractionated post-mastectomy proton radiotherapy
Authors: Robert Mutter, Sharmila Giri, Briant Fruth, Nicholas Remmes, Aman Anand, Kathryn Ruddy, Hector Villarraga, Sebastian Santos Patarroyo, Elizabeth Yan, Kenneth Merrell, Lisa McGee, Tamara Vern-Gross, Bradley Stish, Robert Gao, Judy C. Boughey, Sean Park, Kimberly Corbin, Carlos Vargas
Journal: Cancer Research (2023)

Abstract Purpose/Objectives: Proton therapy is under investigation in breast cancer as a strategy to reduce heart and lung exposure, which is associated with late cardiopulmonary adverse events and secondary malignancy. To date, studies investigating postmastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT) with protons have used conventional fractionation. We hypothesized that condensing treatment to 15 fractions would be safe based on evidence that breast cancer is more sensitive to higher dose fractions than surrounding normal tissues. Materials/Methods: We conducted a randomized non-inferiority phase II trial comparing conventional and hypofractionated proton PMRT with primary endpoint of 24-month complication rate (defined as grade 3 or higher late adverse events using CTCAE, v 4.0 and/or unplanned surgical intervention in patients undergoing mastectomy with reconstruction). With a 10% non-inferiority margin the study ensured 80% power and had a one sided-type I error rate of 0.05. Cardiotoxicity was assessed with serial transthoracic conventional and 2-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2D-STE). Eligibility included age ≥ 18 years with non-inflammatory breast cancer resected by mastectomy with indications for PMRT. Assignment of treatments was balanced with respect to immediate breast reconstruction (IBR). Conventional fractionation group received 50 Gy in 25 fractions of 2 Gy, and hypofractionation group received 40.05 Gy in 15 fractions of 2.67 Gy (RBE 1.1). Target volume included the chest wall and axillary, supraclavicular, and internal mammary lymph nodes. All patients were treated with multi-field optimized pencil beam scanning (intensity modulated proton therapy). Results: Between 2016 and 2018, 82 patients were enrolled and randomized (41 conventional, 41 hypofractionation). Median patient age was 52 years. 32.9% were staged T3-T4 and 79.3% node positive at diagnosis. 57 of 82 patients (69.5%) elected IBR. The median mean heart dose was 0.49 Gy and the median ipsilateral lung volume receiving 40% of prescription or greater (V40%) was 13.6%. No significant changes on conventional or 2D-STE at end-of-treatment or 3-month follow-up compared to baseline were observed. The rate of ≥ grade 2 acute dermatitis was lower with hypofractionation (44% vs 15%, p = 0.006). Other ≥ grade 2 acute adverse events including esophagitis (0 vs 5%), infection (5% vs 2.4%) and skin hyperpigmentation (7.3% vs 4.8%) were not significantly different between the two arms. With a median follow-up of 38.3 months, the 24-month complication rate was conventional 14.6% vs hypofractionation 17.1% (absolute difference 2.4%, p=0.17, 95% CI [-, 15.7%]). In patients with IBR, 6 of 28 (21.4%) conventional and 7 of 29 (24.1%) hypofractionated patients developed complications (p =0.80). There was no significant difference in 3-year disease-free survival between the conventional (89.4%; 95% CI 80.0 – 99.8%) and hypofractionated (92.4%, 95% CI 84.5 – 100.0%) arms (p = 0.91). One local recurrence occurred in the hypofractionated arm simultaneous with regional and distant relapse. The remaining 6 recurrences were isolated distant events. Conclusions: Proton PMRT provided excellent locoregional control and normal tissue sparing. There were no subclinical echocardiographic changes indicative of radiation-induced cardiac dysfunction. Hypofractionation resulted in comparable disease control, tolerability and reconstruction outcomes as conventional fractionation. Although non-inferiority of hypofractionation could not be established based on the upper bound of the 95% confidence interval for complication rate being greater than 10%, both conventional and hypofractionation may be considered appropriate regimens for ongoing phase 3 randomized trials comparing photon and proton radiotherapy. Citation Format: Robert Mutter, Sharmila Giri, Briant Fruth, Nicholas Remmes, Aman Anand, Kathryn Ruddy, Hector Villarraga, Sebastian Santos Patarroyo, Elizabeth Yan, Kenneth Merrell, Lisa McGee, Tamara Vern-Gross, Bradley Stish, Robert Gao, Judy C. Boughey, Sean Park, Kimberly Corbin, Carlos Vargas. Phase II randomized trial of conventional versus hypofractionated post-mastectomy proton radiotherapy [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2022 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2022 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(5 Suppl):Abstract nr GS4-05.